Case Law Details
Addl. CIT Vs M/s. Rites Limited (ITAT Delhi)
Perusal of the assessment orders goes to prove that AO has mechanically disallowed the claim of expenditure made by the assessee company towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development without analyzing the fact that assessee company being a Government undertaking is required to incur such expenses as per guidelines issued by the Department of Public Enterprises by undertaking social welfare activities under the social security scheme. Assessee company has however claimed these expenses as business expenditure permissible under the Act.
It is contended by the ld. AR for the assessee that identical claim of CSR expenses has been duly accepted by the Revenue in the earlier years and there is no change in the facts and circumstances of case. Neither AO nor ld. DR for the Revenue has controverted this fact.
AO has disallowed claim of the assessee company qua CSR expenditure by misinterpreting the provisions contained under section 37(1) of the Act by observing that since CSR expenditure is not incurred for the purpose of carrying on the business, such expenditure cannot be allowed under the existing provisions of section 37 of the Act. Even Explanation 2 to section 37(1) of the Act is prospective in nature to be effective from 01.04.2015 and is applicable to the expenses incurred with reference to section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 that too after 01.04.2015, so Explanation (2) to section 37(1) of the Act is not applicable to the present case also. Moreover, expenses claimed by the assessee company have been incurred as per guidelines of the Ministry concerned with approval of the Board to the best business interest of the assessee company. So AO, without examining the nature of the expenses, disallowed the claim mechanically even by ignoring the rule of consistency.
Expenditure incurred by assessee, a company owned by the Government of India and working under its control and directions, towards implementation of 20 point programme as per specific directions of the Government though voluntary in nature and not forced by any statutory obligation, is allowable as business expenditure.
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